Magnetic pencil holder



Oct. 24, 1950 M. KlNzLER ET Al. 2,527,482

MAGNETIC PENCIL HOLDER.

Filed June l, 1949 JNVENTORS i /f/rfu fmzlz/f BY lil/10H fear! Tram/Ew Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l Claim.

This invention relates to leather covered memo boxes and similar articles having a magnet in a side wall to hold a steel pen or pencil in posi tion when not in use.

Unless the magnet covers a substantial portion of the side wall the pen or pencil must be carefully placed directly over the magnet. This is inconvenient. Accordingly, we use a magnet of sufficient size to cover substantially the entire surface of the side wall and the pen or pencil may then be placed at random against the side wall and brought into contact with the magnetic eld.

However, where the magnetic field extends over a large area relative to the size of the pen or pencil we have found that the pen or pencil cannot ordinarily be rigidly held and tends to slip or roll down the side wall.

The point of contact between the pen or pencil and the side wall is relatively tangential and in a magnetic field which is uniform over a large area the magnetic force is ordinarily insuflicient to overcome the effect of gravity within this area. This diiculty may be overcome by increasing the strength of the magnetic eld but in devices of this type it is important that the magnet itself (which is usually of the bar type) be as thin as possible and this imposes a limitation on the strength of the magnet.

We have found that this slippage may be prevented by placing a layer of finished soft leather over the entire surface covered by the magnetic field intermediate the magnet and the pen or pencil. Accordingly, in our construction we cover the memo box or similar article with a layer of finished soft leather and place the magnet in the side wall directly underneath the leather surface. In such case when the pen or pencil is brought into contact with the leather surface there is a slight indentation in the leather corresponding to the configuration of the pen or pencil at the point of contact and this provides sufficient frictional resistance to prevent slippage or rolling of the pen or pencil. The

commercial grades of finished cowhide, calf,

morocco, skiver, pigskin and saffian are particularly suitable for this purpose and possess the requisite resilience and surface characteristics.

In the drawing We show diagrammatically the structure of our invention applied to the side wall of a memo box or similar article. Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the side wall of a memo box showing the leather layer in position over the magnet. Fig. 2 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 1 showing a steel pen or pencil in position against the side wall, and Fig. 3 is a similar vertical section illustrating the indentation which occurs in the soft leather surface.

In the drawing bar magnet IB is recessed in the side wall I2 of a memo box or similar article.

A layer of soft leather I4 is placed directly over the outer surface of the bar magnet l0 and the side wall I2. A steel pen or pencil i6 is brought into contact with the soft leather surface I4, as shown in Fig. 2, and owing to the magnetic force the pen or pencil I6 causes a slight indentation in the leather which is indicated at I8. With this construction slippage or rolling of the pen or pencil down the vertical surface is prevented and at the same time the pen or pencil may be placed against the side wall at any point and brought within the magnetic eld. As shown, the magnetic field covers an area which is very much greater than the area of the pen or pencil which is brought into contact with the magnetic field.

Preferably the soft leather layer I4 is held firmly in position on the side wall by an adhesive. We have found that the leather layer should be at least one-siXty-fourth of an inch thick and we have obtained good results with thicknesses between one-sixty-fourth of -an inch and oneeighth of an inch. In applying the leather layer to the side wall it is important that this layer should not be stretched unduly as this tends to destroy the resiliency and surface characteristic of the leather layer.

In the drawing we show a steel pencil of circular cross section but pens or pencils of other magnetic materials and having a hexagonal or octagonal cross section may also be used.

We claim:

In a memo box or similar article having at least one vertical side wall, the combination with `said wall of a bar magnet of relatively thin section fastened fiat against the wall with the poles thereof in substantial alignment with the longest dimension of the wall, and a layer of relatively thin resilient material covering said magnet and adjoining wall sections, said magnet attracting and holding a writing implement of magnetic material against the resilient covering and said covering being suiiiciently compressible under the action of the magnet on the implement to enable the latter to slightly imbed itself therein and become firmly secured to the wall in the position in which it was initially attracted by the magnet.

MORRIS KINZLER.

ELLIOTT PEARL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,386,500 Parker Oct. 9, 1945 2,414,653 Lookholder Jan. 2l, 194'? 2,457,421 Warren l-.. l Dec. 28, 1948 

